Algonquin Highlands

Communities

The largest community in the Municipality of Algonquin Highlands is Dorset, Ontario although this community is actually split with Lake of Bays, Ontario.

Geography

Located in Algonquin Provincial Park, the area is characterized by uplands and dense transitional forestation. It rests on a portion of the Canadian Shield.

Climate

Algonquin Highlands experiences a humid continental climate, with it being more cool due to the higher elevation.

Wildlife

The Algonquin Highlands support a wide range of wildlife due to their unique position at the transition zone between northern coniferous and southern deciduous forests. More than 50 species of mammals have been documented in the region.

Large mammals commonly seen include moose, with a population of approximately 3,500, white-tailed deer, and black bears, which number around 2,000 and are typically shy and non-aggressive toward humans. Beavers are widespread and play a significant ecological role in wetland maintenance, often observed from trails like Beaver Pond and Mizzy Lake.

The area also provides habitat for the eastern wolf, a threatened species found in several packs within the region. Smaller mammals such as otters, pine martens, red squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, and foxes are also regularly seen, particularly in less-traveled areas.

Beyond mammals, Algonquin Highlands are home to more than 270 bird species and over 30 species of reptiles and amphibians, reinforcing the area’s reputation as a premier location for wildlife observation in Ontario.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Algonquin Highlands had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of 999.69 km2, it had a population density of in 2021. |1996|1687 |2001|1827 |2006|1976 |2011|2186 |2016|2351 |2021|2588

Mother tongue (2021):

• English as first language: 93.1%
• French as first language: 0.8%
• English and French as first language: 0.2%
• Other as first language: 5.0%

References

References

1. "Municipal restructuring activity summary table - Dataset - Ontario Data Catalogue". Government of Ontario.
2. "Natural History {{!}} Frontenac Arch Biosphere".
3. Canada, Environment and Climate Change. (2013-09-25). "Canadian Climate Normals 1981-2010 Station Data - Climate - Environment and Climate Change Canada".
4. "What kind of wildlife can be seen in Algonquin Park?".
5. "Mammals {{!}} Algonquin Provincial Park {{!}} The Friends of Algonquin Park".
6. [[Canada 1996 Census. 1996]], [[Canada 2001 Census. 2001]], [[Canada 2006 Census. 2006]] census
7. "Algonquin Highlands census profile". Statistics Canada.
8. {{SCref. (2021)